This satellite photograph of the Songhua River in China illustrates how a meandering river can shape the surrounding landscape. (Courtesy of NASA; photograph in the public domain.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. John Southard
MIT Course Number
12.090
As Taught In
Spring 2007
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
A great variety of processes affect the surface of the Earth. Topics to be covered are production and movement of surficial materials; soils and soil erosion; precipitation; streams and lakes; groundwater flow; glaciers and their deposits. The course combines aspects of geology, climatology, hydrology, and soil science to present a coherent introduction to the surface of the Earth, with emphasis on both fundamental concepts and practical applications, as a basis for understanding and intelligent management of the Earth's physical and chemical environment.